Valve mechanism



Dec. 23, 1930. I A, D, FERGUSON 1,786,199

VALVE MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. ll, 1922 Patented 23, 1930 Unirse,sriwrssV PATENT OFFICE iJlIJlHL'.NBER D. FERGUSON, OF MICHIGAN' CITY,vINDIANA, ASSIGNORV TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS VALVE MECHANISIVI Original applcation'led August 11, 1922,Serial No. 581,253.` Divided andths application filed March es, 19e-s."sel-rarita. 97,711.

This invention relates to valve mechanisms and more particularly topilot valve mechanisms adapted toeifect seguential control out `aplurality of fluid pressure governed devices.

A particular i'ield for the invention is found in the control ofunloading mechanismsV of the step'by step type, in which it is adaptedto eiiect the progressive unloading of a plural unit compressor devicein such manner that the latter may be drivensteadily at constant speedand its output varied in such manner as to maintain discharge linepressure substantially constant notwithstanding Widely varying cemandstor the compressed fluid.

i An object of my invention is to provide an improved controliing valvemechanism. 15inother object ot my invention is to provide an improvedcontrolling valve mechanism governed by pressure variations. A furthercbject of my invention is to provide an improved controlling valvemechanism adapted to the sequential control of a plurality of fluidpressure controlled devices. A still further'object of my invention isto provide an improved controlling valve mechanism embodying improvedmeans whereby automatic and manual control mechanisms may cooperate .insuch manner that automatic control may be maintained unaffected in therange of operation not deliberately manually controlled. Other objectsand advantages of my invention will hereinafter more -fully appear.

. VrThis application isa division of my application liled on August 11,1922, Serial No.` 581,253 which has become Patent No. 1,849,299, datedNovember 15,192.7.

In the accompanying drawings, in which 1 have shown for purposes ofillustration one form `which my invention may assume in practice, I

Fig. 1 is Aa side elevation of a control mechanism constructed inaccordance with the illustrative embodiment 'of the invention.

i? 2 is a section on the plane of the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Y A Y Fig. 3isla transverse section onr the line 3-3 of Fig/2,V

Referring to the drawings lthevalve mechanism is generally designated Vand noting lirst the ycontrol exercising portions of this mechanism, itmay be observed that a series of thin annular valve members 1, 2, 3 and4 are provided. The valve members 1 to 4711espectively are arranged tovcooperate Withy seats 5, 6, 7 and 8, the several seats being plane andeach containing an annular groove.v 9, the several annular grooves 9communicating respectively by passages re'- spectively numbered 10,711,12 and 13 With pipes 14, 15, 16 and 17 Which may conduct operating uidto the mechanisms Which it is desired to control. Each of the seats 5,6, 7 and 8 inclusive is traversed by a central passageway, thesepassageways being of uniform diameter and being indicated by 18.Extending longitudinally through the several passagevvaysmentioned isa'stem 20 formed at its top with a plunger or piston 21 upon nism 2 Whenboth are seated. This sleeve is adapted to be raised on upward movementof the valve 1 and after sufficient upward movement to engage and liftthe valve member. 2. A similar sleeve or pusher member cooperating Withthe valve 3 in a similarmanner and designated 27 is superimposed on thevalve 2 and a `further similar sleeve or pusher member 28 is arranged tobe lifted by the valve member 3 and to raise the valve member 4. y

The :piston 21 is slidable in a cylinder 29 ormed'in the-casing 23 andfluid pressure from a suitable source is conducted by a passage 30 tochambersl, 32, 33 and 34 in which the valve members 1 to 4 respectivelyare located. This pressure'norma-lly tends, of course, to maintain theseveral valve members seated however, it will be observed that thelvalve .members are raised successively from their seats and itWillfurther be observed that the valve members are all of sub- Cilstantially equal diameter with the piston 21, and therefore it will beapparent that the pressure of air acting beneath the piston 21 is suchas to practically neutralize the work necessary in raising one of thevalve members off its seat. The stem 20' passes through a suitable bore36 downward into a space formed between a pair of support members 37formed integral with the support 38. Secured to the support 33 is anexpansible diaphragm chamber 39 to whose interior 40 Huid may beconducted by a passage 41 and a series of grooves 42 formed in themember 43 which threadedly engages the lower head 44 of the diaphragmchamber and holds it iiXedly in position on the member 38. The member 43is traversed by a passage 45 through which ay plunger' 46 alined withthe stem 2O and having suitable sealing grooves 4'? snugly extends, heplunger 46 engaging at 4S the upper head 49 of the diaphragm chamber.rihe plunger 46 is provided at its lower end with a handle 50 and isprovided with a series of four parallel passageways 51, 52, 53 and 54.The member 43 is provided with a depending sleeve 55 in which a seriesof holes 56, 57, 58 and 59 are formed, these holes being so spacedrelative to each other and to the holes 51 to 54 that the hole 51 willregister with the hole 59 with a very slight upward movement of the stem46 while progressively further upward movements of the stem 46 willsuccessively cause registration of the holes 52 and 58, 53 and 57, and54 and 56. When the first of these pairs of holes register, valve 1 isunseated and as each successive pair of holes is brought into register,an additional valve is opened. The function of this mechanism willshortly be explained.

Leading from a suitable source of pressure by which it is desired toeffect control is a passage or connection 60 controlled by a stop valve61 and provided with a strainer 62 to prevent the passage of impuritiesor solid matter to the valve mechanism. Beyond the strainer 62 is a T 63from whicha connection 64 leads to the passageway 30 previouslydescribed. From the other end of the T a connection 65 leads to a popvalve 66. Valve 66 works on the principle of the ordinary safety valve,that is, it opens when a desired presure is reached in the line 60 andpermits a pressure equal to the excess above the desired pressure inline 60 to pass through the valve before it again closes. The chamberabove the valve in the pop valve 66 communicates with the passage 41 sothat a pressure equal to the excess above the setting of the pop valvewill be transmitted to the diaphragm chamber 40. Upon the top of the popvalve 66 is a safety valve 67 loaded to prevent building up of more thana desired pres sure in the diaphragm chamber 40. A suitable pin holeleak or adjustable leak 70 as may be desired is arranged at any suitablepoint between the pop valve 66 and the limits of the diaphrafnn chamberwhereby the pressure in the chamber 40 will promptly fall on closure ofthe pop valve 66. Leakage may be also permitted around the plunger 46, ashoulder 68 thereon then cooperating with the top of the member 43 inpreventing leakage when the di aphragm is collapsed to its smallestsize.

Let it be assumed that the control pres` sure rises to a degree abovethat which is desired. As a result the pop valve 66 which is set to openwhen the pressure exceeds the desired pressure will open and pressurefluid will be transmitted into the diaphragm chamber 40. lf the pressurerises to a value say two or three pounds in excess of the desiredpressure, the expansion of the diaphragm chamber will cause the collar25 to raise the valve 1 and pressure will be supplied to the line 14. Asa result air will be supplied to effect operation of the fluidcontrolled apparatus governed by the admission of pressure to the line14. ln case the controlling pressure continues to rise, the pressurepassing the pop valve 66 will reach a value a few pounds higher than isnecessary to open valve 1, and valve 2 will then be raised by continuedupward movement of the valve 1 causing sleeve 18 to lift valve 2.Pressure will then be transmitted through pipe 15 to the mechanismcontrolled thereby. Similar operations will take place with regard tovalves 3 and 4 as the controlling pressure continues to rise.

At this point it may be well to note that if the lines 14, 15, 16 and 17be connected to independent unloading mechanisms for respectivelycontrolling the discharge of pressure to a common line with which theline 60 communicates, the pilot valve mechanism described will functionto control the number of loaded compressor units in a manner to maintainsubstantially constant pressure `limits with widely varying air demands.

In case it be desired to maintain in its condition resulting from thecontrol by fluid pressure admitted through the line 14 the devicegoverned by pressure so transmitted, the handle 50 may be forced upwardand by the insertion of a suitable pin through the holes .i1 and 59 thedesired function will be accomplished. Obviously by inserting the pin inother pairs of mating holes, like results can be accomplished in respectto the other control devices. It will be evident, however, that thevalves not positively held open will be governed at the same criticalpressures that would be effective in the event that the manual controlthrough the handle 50 were entirely eliminated.

lhile I have in this application specifically described one form whichmy invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims. Y

l/Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

l. In combination, a source of Vpressure fluid provided with a popvalve, a plurality of coaxially disposed valve seats in commoncommunication with said source, a separate discharge passage leadingfrom each of said valve seats, a plurality of coaxially disposed valvescooperating with said seats to control flow of pressure fluidto saidpassages, and operating means for said several valves adapted toserially open the same including a pressure fluid motor actuated byVfluid delivered from said source through said pop valve.

2. In a valve mechanism, a plurality of valves of' the unbalanced type,`means for serially operating said valves, said Vmeans opening one valveat a time, independent discharge passages each of which is controlled byone of said valves, said valves being opened against fluid pressure andall of said valves having the same effective area subject to fluidpressure resisting opening, and fluid pressure means tending tocounterbalance said pressure during opening of said y valves, said meansbeing subject to the same ilo fluid pressure as tends to seat saidvalves.

3. In a valve mechanism, a rplurality of valves of the unbalanced type,means for serially operating said valves, said means opening one valveat a time, independent discharge passages each of which is controlled byone of said valves, said valves being opened against fluid pressure andall of said valves having the same effective area subject to fluidpressure resisting opening, and means common to all of said valvestending to counterbalance said pressure during opening of said valves,said means being subject to the same fluid pressure as tends to seatsaidV valves. Y

t. A valve mechanism comprising serially operated valves of which aplurality are adapted to be seated simultaneously during existence offluid pressure thereon, a separate passage being controlled by each ofVsaid valves, each passage communicating with a source of live fluidpressure when the controlling valve therefor is open, automaticactuation mechanism vnormally controlling said'valves, and manual meanscommon to a plurality of said valves for selectively holdingone or moreof said valves open while the remainder continue under the control ofsaid automatic actuation mechanism.

5. A valve mechanism comprising a pluralitjyv of valves, automaticactuation mechanism for serially openingthe'same, a separate passagecontrolled by each of said valves, each of said passages communicatingwith a j source of live fluid pressure when the controlling valvestherefor are open, and manual means lcommon to a plurality of saidvalves and supplemental to said automatic actuation mechanism forselectively holding one or more of said valves open while the remaindercontinue under the control of said automatic actuation mechanism.

6. L `valve mechanism comprising a plurality of coaxially disposedrelatively movable valves, power operated means for serially actuatingthe same, a separate passage contrclled by each of said valves, each ofsaid passages communicating with a source of live fluid pressure whenthe controlv valve therefor is open, and manual means commentoa-plurality of said valves for .selectively actuating andA` holding oneor more of the same open WhileL permitting the remainder cf said valvesto be actuated by said power means.

't'. A valve mechanism comprising a plurality of coaxially disposedvalves, means for actuating the same and adapted to hold any numberthereof open, said means comprising cooperating members havingregistering means, and means adapted to cooperate therewith to hold saidvalves open.

8. A valve mechanism comprising la plurality of'rserially operatedcoaxially disposed valves, manual means for actuating the same, andmeans for controlling said actuating means comprising cooperatingelements having registering means.

9'. A. valve mechanismcomprising a plurality of coaxially disposedvalves, coaxial means for serially operating the same, and actuatingmeans for said operating means comprising a fluid operated member and avstem projecting axially therethrough adapted'to be manually operated,and means permitting fluid flow to saidA fluid means through the axialportion adjacent said axially extendingv member.

10. In a pilotmechanism, a plurality of serially movable controllingelements, means for actuating said elements including a member adaptedupon different degrees of movement thereof to operate oneror more ofsaid elements to effect their controlling functions,

meansV automatically responsive to different j degrees of fluid pressurefor operating said member, and manualmeans formoving said. member toselectively operate one or more of said elements without interferingywith operation of the remainder of said elements through said member bysaid. automatic means.

11. In a valve mechanism, a plurality of coaxially disposed valve seats,a series of coaxially disposed valves cooperating with said seats, anelement extending through said valves for maintaining the same inalinement with each other, pusher members of less thickness thanthedistance between adjacent valves slidable on said alining eleico mentand adapted also to be movable relative to said valves, there beingdisposed between any two adjacent valves a pusher member, the samecontacting with both ,1 valves when both valves are lifted oii1 theirseats, and means for lifting the irst of said series of valves.

12. ln a valve mechanism, a plurality of serially operated valves,independent disrharge passages each of which is controlled by one ofsaid valves, said valves being opened against fluid pressure and eachpresenting the same eieetive area to said fluid pressure, and meanscommon to all of said 33 valves tending to counterbalance said pressureduring opening or" said valves, said means having a movable Wall ofeffective area equal to the effective area presented to pressure tendingto seat one of said valves and subject to the same Huid pressure astends to seat said valves.

13. In a valve mechanism, a pluralityT of serially operated valves,independent passages each of which is controlled by one of zi saidvalves, said valves being opened against fluid pressure and eachpresenting the same eifeetive area to said fluid pressure, and aCylinder and piston common to all of said valve tending tocounterbalance said pres- ;i sure during opening of said valves, the et-'fective area of said piston being equal to the effective area presentedto pressure tending to seat one of said valves and subject to the samefluid pressure as tends to seat said .1i valves.

In testimony Whereoil I aix my signature.

ALEXANDER D. FERGUSON.

